Free edge strain concentrations in real composite laminates: Experimental-theoretical correlation

The magnitude of the maximum shear strain at the free edge of axially loaded theta (2)/-theta(2)(s) and (+ or - theta(2) (s) composite laminates was investigated experimentally and numerically to ascertain the actual value of strain concentration in resin matrix laminates and to determine the accuracy of finite element results. Experimental results using moire interferometry show large, but finite, shear strain concentrations at the free edge of graphite-epoxy and graphite-polyimide laminates. Comparison of the experimental results with those obtained using several different finite element representations showed that a four node isoparametric finite element provided the best and most trouble free numerical results. The results indicate that the ratio of maxium shear strain at the free edge to applied axial strain varies with fiber orientation and does not exceed nine for the most critical angle which is 15 deg

Fibre-optic delivery of time and frequency to VLBI station

The quality of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) radio observations predominantly relies on precise and ultra-stable time and frequency (T&F) standards, usually hydrogen masers (HM), maintained locally at each VLBI station. Here, we present an operational solution in which the VLBI observations are routinely carried out without use of a local HM, but using remote synchronization via a stabilized, long-distance fibre-optic link. The T&F reference signals, traceable to international atomic timescale (TAI), are delivered to the VLBI station from a dedicated timekeeping laboratory. Moreover, we describe a proof-of-concept experiment where the VLBI station is synchronized to a remote strontium optical lattice clock during the observation.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, matches the version published in A&A, section Astronomical instrumentatio

Tilings, tiling spaces and topology

To understand an aperiodic tiling (or a quasicrystal modeled on an aperiodic tiling), we construct a space of similar tilings, on which the group of translations acts naturally. This space is then an (abstract) dynamical system. Dynamical properties of the space (such as mixing, or the spectrum of the translation operator) are closely related to bulk properties of the individual tilings (such as the diffraction pattern). The topology of the space of tilings, particularly the Cech cohomology, gives information on how the original tiling can be deformed. Tiling spaces can be constructed as inverse limits of branched manifolds.Comment: 8 pages, including 2 figures, talk given at ICQ

Xrcc4 and mre11 Roles and Transcriptional Response to Repair of Talen-Induced Double-Strand Dna Breaks

Double-strand breaks (DSB) are one of the most lethal forms of DNA damage that, if left unrepaired, can lead to genomic instability, cellular transformation, and cell death. In this work, we examined how repair of transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN)-induced DNA damage was altered when knocking out, or inhibiting a function of, two DNA repair proteins, XRCC4 and MRE11, respectively. We developed a fluorescent reporter assay that uses TALENs to introduce DSB and detected repair by the presence of GFP fluorescence. We observed repair of TALEN-induced breaks in the XRCC4 knockout cells treated with mirin (a pharmacological inhibitor of MRE11 exonuclease activity), albeit with ~40% reduced efficiency compared to normal cells. Editing in the absence of XRCC4 or MRE11 exonuclease was robust, with little difference between the indel profiles amongst any of the groups. Reviewing the transcriptional profiles of the mirin-treated XRCC4 knockout cells showed 307 uniquely differentially expressed genes, a number far greater than for either of the other cell lines (the HeLa XRCC4 knockout sample had 83 genes, and the mirin-treated HeLa cells had 30 genes uniquely differentially expressed). Pathways unique to the XRCC4 knockout+mirin group included differential expression of p53 downstream pathways, and metabolic pathways indicating cell adaptation for energy regulation and stress response. In conclusion, our study showed that TALEN-induced DSBs are repaired, even when a key DSB repair protein or protein function is not operational, without a change in indel profiles. However, transcriptional profiles indicate the induction of unique cellular responses dependent upon the DNA repair protein(s) hampered

Different dimensionality trends in the Landau damping of magnons in iron, cobalt and nickel: time dependent density functional study

We study the Landau damping of ferromagnetic magnons in Fe, Co, and Ni as the dimensionality of the system is reduced from three to two. We resort to the \textit{ab initio} linear response time dependent density functional theory in the adiabatic local spin density approximation. The numerical scheme is based on the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker Green's function method. The key points of the theoretical approach and the implementation are discussed. We investigate the transition metals in three different forms: bulk phases, free-standing thin films and thin films supported on a nonmagnetic substrate. We demonstrate that the dimensionality trends in Fe and Ni are opposite: in Fe the transition from bulk bcc crystal to Fe/Cu(100) film reduces the damping whereas in Ni/Cu(100) film the attenuation increases compared to bulk fcc Ni. In Co, the strength of the damping depends relatively weakly on the sample dimensionality. We explain the difference in the trends on the basis of the underlying electronic structure. The influence of the substrate on the spin-wave damping is analyzed by employing Landau maps representing wave-vector resolved spectral density of the Stoner excitations.Comment: 32 pages, 21 figures, to be submitted to PR

Cytoplasmic PML promotes TGF-β-associated epithelial–mesenchymal transition and invasion in prostate cancer

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key event that is involved in the invasion and dissemination of cancer cells. Although typically considered as having tumour-suppressive properties, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signalling is altered during cancer and has been associated with the invasion of cancer cells and metastasis. In this study, we report a previously unknown role for the cytoplasmic promyelocytic leukaemia (cPML) tumour suppressor in TGF-β signalling-induced regulation of prostate cancer-associated EMT and invasion. We demonstrate that cPML promotes a mesenchymal phenotype and increases the invasiveness of prostate cancer cells. This event is associated with activation of TGF-β canonical signalling pathway through the induction of Sma and Mad related family 2 and 3 (SMAD2 and SMAD3) phosphorylation. Furthermore, the cytoplasmic localization of promyelocytic leukaemia (PML) is mediated by its nuclear export in a chromosomal maintenance 1 (CRM1)-dependent manner. This was clinically tested in prostate cancer tissue and shown that cytoplasmic PML and CRM1 co-expression correlates with reduced disease-specific survival. In summary, we provide evidence of dysfunctional TGF-β signalling occurring at an early stage in prostate cancer. We show that this disease pathway is mediated by cPML and CRM1 and results in a more aggressive cancer cell phenotype. We propose that the targeting of this pathway could be therapeutically exploited for clinical benefit

Substrate specificity of a peptidyl-aminoacyl-l/d-isomerase from frog skin

In the skin of fire-bellied toads (Bombina species), an aminoacyl-l/d-isomerase activity is present which catalyses the post-translational isomerization of the l- to the d-form of the second residue of its substrate peptides. Previously, this new type of enzyme was studied in some detail and genes potentially coding for similar polypeptides were found to exist in several vertebrate species including man. Here, we present our studies to the substrate specificity of this isomerase using fluorescence-labeled variants of the natural substrate bombinin H with different amino acids at positions 1, 2 or 3. Surprisingly, this enzyme has a rather low selectivity for residues at position 2 where the change of chirality at the alpha-carbon takes place. In contrast, a hydrophobic amino acid at position 1 and a small one at position 3 of the substrate are essential. Interestingly, some peptides containing a Phe at position 3 also were substrates. Furthermore, we investigated the role of the amino-terminus for substrate recognition. In view of the rather broad specificity of the frog isomerase, we made a databank search for potential substrates of such an enzyme. Indeed, numerous peptides of amphibia and mammals were found which fulfill the requirements determined in this study. Expression of isomerases with similar characteristics in other species can therefore be expected to catalyze the formation of peptides containing d-amino acids

Human Resource Functioning in an Information Society: Practical Suggestions and Future Implications

This paper explores the state human resources management in an information society. As technology rapidly changes organizations and human resources professionals need to be mindful of the impact that can have on the every day operations in human resources departments. As human resource management is involved in the process of recruitment, selection, and retention of new and current employees, they can play a significant role in maintaining a competitive advantage in the knowledge-based market. Thus, the purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the practical and strategic steps that those in the human resources field can take to facilitate success in this changing economy, as well as to warn against the implications and consequences of failing to meet these important challenges.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Spin dynamics from time-dependent density functional perturbation theory

We present a new method to model spin-wave excitations in magnetic solids, based on the Liouville-Lanczos approach to time-dependent density functional perturbation theory. This method avoids computationally expensive sums over empty states and naturally deals with the coupling between spin and charge fluctuations, without ever explicitly computing charge-density susceptibilities. Spin-wave excitations are obtained with one Lanczos chain per magnon wave-number and polarization, avoiding the solution of the linear-response problem for every individual value of frequency, as other state-of-the-art approaches do. Our method is validated by computing magnon dispersions in bulk Fe and Ni, resulting in agreement with previous theoretical studies in both cases, and with experiment in the case of Fe. The disagreement in the case of Ni is also comparable with that of previous computations